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Artistic Directors Jon Cristofori and Kathleen Sinclair
Courtesy of Bill Butler elementary school children here in Yuma. She worked with the Crane Elementary School District in their Project Success program for at-risk 4th graders. Kathleen created the Ballet Bound Project in conjunction with Yuma School District #1. This outreach discovery program has been generously supported by grant from the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the City of Yuma Arts and Cultural Commission. Kathleen is on the Executive Board of Directors for Regional Dance America/Pacific, is the Coordinator for the Pacific Region, is on the National Board of Regional Dance America, and has served twice as a grant panellist for the Arizona Commission on the Arts. |
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Jon Cristofori spent summers as a high school student at the renowned dance festival, Jacob’s Pillow. A recipient of a Ford Foundation scholarship, he travelled to Washington, D.C. to continue his studies at the National Ballet of Washington and performed major roles as a member of the City Center Joffrey Ballet Company. Jon has taught at private studios, colleges and universities around the U.S., has been resident choreographer for the Flint Institute of Music and the former Arizona Metropolitan Ballet Company, and over the years has choreographed more than fifty original ballets. Jon’s choreography has been performed by companies across the country, has been recognized in national publications, having received awards including the National Choreography Award at the Regional Dance America/Pacific Festival in Provo, Utah. Jon has served on the board for Regional Dance America/Pacific and has twice been a grant panellist for 
Kathleen Sinclair began her training in Michigan City, Indiana, with the Studio Concert Company. She was a member of various regional ballet companies including Ballet Etudes, Arizona Metropolitan Ballet Company, and Theatre Ballet of San Francisco. From 1982-1993, Kathleen and her husband, Jon Cristofori, directed Yuma Ballet Theatre in Yuma, Arizona. In the fall of 1993, the pair opened their own ballet school, Yuma Ballet Academy, and with a group of dedicated supporters organized Ballet Yuma. Ballet Yuma is the only company in Arizona with Honor Company status in Regional Dance America, and is recognized as one of the best preprofessional ballet companies in the country. Kathleen has taught for the past twenty years and has developed a syllabus for the first four years of a child’s ballet studies, as well as one for 3-6 year olds. Kathleen brought ballet to inner-city school children in New Haven, CT, as well as